2012 sisters

jpmom - wow! pizza and beer? cool. today is the following morning after my first AC. I react a little to the Adriamycin: throat closing, difficulty breathing but it passed fairly quickly - all the steroids they dripped into me first. I will mention it to my MO but I think they prepped my body well. He had prescribed all the side effects reduction meds to go in first: Pepcid, steroid, antinausea. I had a fairly decent headache from yesterday afternoon until I fell asleep but if I stayed upright, that helped somehow. I slept ok - 7 hours or a bit more - but I took a Benadryl and a half and a sliver of Klonazepam at bedtime. My stomach's a bit off but again, not too bad and no actual barfing. I only took a half of the antinausea (ondasteron or something?) at bedtime and this AM. I think I'll use the gel that goes on my skin because I think the pill is a little tummy irritating.  I even feel like I could go for a gentle stroll, except that I'm going in for my immune booster shot soon and I want to see how that affects me. My face has been flushed for about an hour. If it doesn't go away, I'll ask about it when I go in. It's a common effect from the cytoxan. I maybe just need to pop an Alegra but I'm not sure if that's ok. (I may have noted it in the book I got pre-chemo but that is in the bedroom where DH is still asleep - good for him!) Your kids will be ok. No child ever gets the 100% optimal childhood in most experiences, the important thing is that they feel loved.

 vicki - I agree, tha 'hawk is fabulous! I cut mine into a modified mohawk in prep for the hair loss. it's been fun.

Tazzy - thanks for the well wishes. I have been drinking fluids like mad. Iced herb tea or ice water help my tummy feel better so it's just coming automatically for me. I also loaded up on cinnmon Spry xylitol gum and have been chewing that when my mouth feels or tastes funny or when the heartburn starts up. The swallowing of saliva seems to help that a bit too along with the drinks.

 I posted more babbling in my blog if anyone's curious but it's more about my history and why I was COMPLETELY FREAKED OUT to get chemo. It seems it helps me to vent.

jpmon... pizza and beer by the pool sounds like a perfect evening.

2Fried... dont you love that excuse of empathy chemo brain.. even my close friend and work uses it  As for being nice.... the way I look at it someone was sitting in my position 15 years ago and they were trying out the chemo treatments I am on... so I feel its the least I can do.   Plus will be nice to get some good karma back

Allurbaddays.... make sure you write down all your symptons from chemo and take with you to the next appt.   Or of course call the chemo line if you have one.   Have you got that metallic taste... you know what worked for me and that is red delicious apples - lived on them and they tasted like they should and got rid of that taste.   Enjoy your walk if you go and take it slow.  Oh! and my MO told me to make sure I took all the anit-nausea pills even if I didn't feel nauseated..which I was fortunate I never did.  Mine were the same as yours.  Just saying.. !!

And ladies - vent away - that's why we are here and its better out than in.

Really hope you all have a lovely day with minimal SE's.

Wow, getting a little nervous about starting chemo in July.  My ONC is targeting July 11th to begin so we're trying to get daycare lined up for our 6 and 4 year old.  Their school is trying to put together a deal for us that will allow us to only pay for the summer school days they actually attend rather than paying for the entire summer (which there is no way we could afford) so they can be with their friends while I'm at the treatment center.  Then again, July 11th is the target date but it all depends on when my BS can fit me in to have a port put in.  He's on vacation right now and pretty booked when he returns.  On top of that, I am having an echocardiogram this coming Monday (ONC wants one day every 3 months since I'll be on Herceptin), an ultrasound on my thyroid on Weds (it's a little swollen but the ONC says completely benign - GEEZ) and then my chemo class is this Friday.  I don't know how you all do it.  I'm wiped out and I haven't even started any treatment yet.

Tums are good for heartburn... I was told fine to take. 

Walking is good... keeps the chemo working through out system and also helps boost the WBC - even if its round your yard or the house... walk.  Way to go Vicki... and its good to rest afterwards - that's my life... do something, rest... and on it goes.  Surely 12 mins wouldn`t count

teeball... the first one was the most nervy for me too... fear of the unknown.   And try to remember at your chemo teach class that what they tell you they are giving you the worst case scenarios.   If you are on A/C you will pee pink for the first couple of days.  Just want you to know so you dont freak when it happens.  Make sure you drink and pee lots afterwards... really helped me.

I just got back from a friends bbq - spent 4 hours there and I'm wiped... that's a long day for me - but so good to spend with friends.   But now at 8.45 pm I am ready for bed.

For those of you still up, I wish you a good night, and hopefully some restful sleep.

As one who has almost made it to the other side of treatment, I wanted to encourage you all that while the whole experience from day of one of diagnosis to chemo to surgery was extremely depressing, scary, and somewhat difficult for me, now that I have one or two smaller surgeries left, I feel like the dark curtain has been lifted. Even though I'm less than two week past Bilateral mastectomy, I'm feeling much more positive than ever during this roller coaster since diagnosis. I feel an enormous sense of relief. During the weeks before surgery, I was completely distracted by getting ready, so it was a good distraction from the shadow of cancer . Now, I don't dwell on cancer every moment of the day, nor do wake up thinking about it, or lay in bed at night worrying about it. I have fresh scars and some pain, but am still relieved. I'm sure I'll still worry as that's my nature, but hopefully not as much. I suspect I'll be bitching soon when I start with the side effects of tamoxifen. But still, feel as though I've completed many hurdles and all of you will too! Now if only my hair would start growing back!

Tazzy- I should have said it's too humid to be outside. I don't like sweating when I'm just sitting and doing nothing. LOL  If I was hiking or something that would be different. But not to eat and visit.

Good morning all. My mom took my three kids to the zoo, my husband is at work and the house is silent. A rare treat for me. It's just me and my 1 year old German Shepard. It is another beautiful day here and I am getting the caffeine doses now and will go for a walk. The walks really help my mood and energy. I get tired after ward but then it comes back.



Allurbaddayswillend, I took Prilosec during my AC treatments for heartburn prevention. my MO prescribed it but it is available Over the counter. Though my insurance company pays most of it with a prescription.



I don't miss that dry mouth and that everything tasted like cardboard. It goes away a couple of weeks after the last AC.



Sleep is so elusive these days for lots of reason, tingly feet, hot flashes, stress, steroids. I don't generally like taking those kinds of medicines but the ambien really helps me on the steroid days. I was getting so tired from not sleeping that it was driving me down.



Definitely dont be shy about asking for or taking medicine for nausea and sleep and pain while you are going through this. If it helps you be more comfortable and functional than it is a good thing. The sleep and pain and anxiety meds can be habit forming but if used like prescribed and just making sure that the amount you are taking isn't increasing they can be very helpful. This is all temporary and you won't have to take those medicines for long in reality. The phenergan - or my MO also prescribed Ativan for nausea- can get you through those rough few days to a week after the AC treatments. I didn't use them enough.



I am happy to say that my neuropathy symptoms have calmed down from a couple of days ago. Still there but very minimal.



Jenlee thanks for the words of encouragement. I can tell how much my energy levels improve as I approach my next taxol dose I can only imagine what they will do when I don't have to take it anymore.

Good morning everyone.

Went for my Neulasta shot this morning.  Man did it burn!  Still no serious SE's from the Chemo.  Just another headache.  Unforntunately I am used to those.  Stillnothing from the Neulasta yet either.  Keeping my fingers crossed.  Should be nice enough to go for a little walk this afternoon.  My hubby said we should stay home just in case the SE's come on and I agree.  We will go get him a rootbeer float later.  With today being fathers day and tomorrow his birthday, that is all he wants to do for now.  He is so attentive through all this; I am blessed, that is for sure!

Interesting they suggest Claritin for the nuelsta shots.   I have neupogen and they gave me T3's.

Enjoy the rootbeer Vicki an the walk.   Remember listen to your body and whatever SE's you MAY get, remember it all passes.    Happy your DH is being attentive and sensitive - dunno what I'd do without mine sometimes either.

Love that with the scrubbies... I will for sure be going shopping to the local dollar store

Vicki & jpmom.  I was told by my MO and the chemo RN's not to take ibuprofen because of its blood thinning properties and chemo thins our blood as it is.  

I'm about 28 hours out from my Neulasta shot. I was awake in the morning from 8 am to 1 pm or so. I tried to take a walk about 11 but got so hot I had to come back in. I was watching a movie with my DH and son but then I could not keep my eyes open! I took a nap. not a long one but still... It's ok with me if I get knocked out and don't get pain. I'm slouched in my bed even now.

 jpmom, did your SEs from the AC stay strong between the chemo days or did any taper off between times? 

Hello Ladies,



I hope this Sunday finds you feeling as good as possible. I'm happy because it's father's day so we are all at my parents' house, including my beloved nephew who has somehow reached the advanced age of 23 while I wasn't looking.



I took a "vacation" from BC the last couple of days by cultivating denial, which worked to some extent. Lots and lots of posts to read here, and I'm certain I've forgotten the earlier ones already. . .



JPMomof3, it's good you wrote about your dark mood, because I'm certain we all have them. Glad you felt better quickly, glad you had some alone time.



Tazzy, so sorry that the facts of cancer are not conforming to your hopes. You are doing a great thing, being willing to have more nodes taken, and I'm not surprised based on the personality that shines through your words.



2Fried, I keep meaning to say and forgetting - LOVE your name. A good sense of humor helps a lot.



Allurbaddays, you are very brave about your side effects; I hope I will do as well with mine, whenever they start.



Jenlee, glad your dark curtain has lifted. That's a good description. Every day since my diagnosis in May seems to bring different feelings, most of them not wonderful, but perhaps an enhanced appreciation for beauty (and nephews.)



For anyone worried re: neuropathy - I developed Peripheral Neuropathy in 1999, and they've never been able to figure out why. In my case, it's never gone away, but the symptoms absolutely are treatable.



Re: scrubbies: sorry to be so dense, but are you saying that they work as quick and inexpensive foob material? I was puzzled by the "long tube" part of the discourse.



Peace and a restful day to all.

allyourbaddayswillend- I shot only effected me about 2 days, the 4th and 5th then my muscles didn't ache as bad. With AC the nausea only lasted about 5 days but wasn't bad if I took the meds like I was told. The rest of the time I was fine, just tired easier. Hope your doesn't last long either. I had to laugh about the nap during the movie. My DS askes why I even pick a movie to watch, I'm just going to sleep through it.

MaddyMac- don't you just love how all the kids seem to grow up overnight. I was talking to a friend on mine who mentioned her daughter made the Dean list. I was like...but we were just buckling her in her car seat not that long ago.  I stay in denial about my DS turning into a teen.

vickilind you have a very sweet sounding husband. I hope you enjoyed the rootbeer floats.

Moonflw when you get one of your foobs made you will have to let us know how it works out. I like the cost of the scrubie better.

Regarding ibuprofen; I was told not to take when I was getting the AC, but then my MO told me to take with the taxol SE's I was having. 

Hope everyone rests well tonight and can get some sleep. 

tazzy, my MO had already told me no nsaids or asprin type meds. 

maddymac, good to see you

lostinmo, he is very sweet and we have enjoyed to floats; he's already on number 2.

I am about 12 hours out from Neulasta and still feeling pretty good.  Not trying to fool myself and I know the SE's could still come on so I am going to enjoy feeling pretty good for the time being. 

I am breaking out really bad; anyone else have that?  I had my first tx (TCH) on Friday morning and since then I have broken out like a sixteen year old before prom!

I am getting zits but just on my scalp.